Job Discussion Forums

jaj · Joined: 15 May 2011 Posts: 28

Help. Don't know if I should leave China and start work permit application process all over again from U.S. or can do it from China. Need step by step instructions from somebody whose already teaching in China and successfully renewed. None of my coworkers in China understand and are going back to the U.S. to do it.

theoriginalprankster · Joined: 19 Mar 2012 Posts: 895

Go back to the US, get your degree authenticated, get your crime-free certificate, get it authenticated, then relax and enjoy your awesome country for a week or two, or three.

Then head back to China and continue as you were.

nimadecaomei · Joined: 22 Sep 2016 Posts: 605

What is it that you actually need to do? The documents can be done without leaving, but is the school willing to reimburse the cost? If you are staying with the school there should be no need to go back for a new Z visa either.

Simon in Suzhou · Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Posts: 404 Location: GZ

Your new employer should be able to answer the question whether you can transfer in-country or whether you need to go back to the US to start the Z-visa process from scratch. If you are working presently in China and changing jobs, you SHOULD be able to do that here, unless you run into the snafu that some are having in that you will not get your release and recommendation papers 30 days before the end of your residence permit, and thus don't have enough time to process a transfer.

Your new employer should be able to answer this question or find out the answer quickly from the govt and tell you what you need to do. Each city/province is still doing their own thing, so it's nearly impossible to get a reliable answer here on an internet forum.

rioux · Joined: 26 Apr 2012 Posts: 880

jaj · Joined: 15 May 2011 Posts: 28

I need to get my degree diploma and criminal background apostilled so I can get the embassy to give me new work permit. Very poor communication at my school. Just know other teachers are going back.

I don't want to lose my apt in China. I have no idea if the apostille and work permit thing can happen in less than a month. Am thinking about mailing my passport to a family member and asking them to do the whole thing and mail my passport with new work permit back to me.

Simon in Suzhou · Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Posts: 404 Location: GZ

jaj,

Be careful with the word apostille. When you get your documents stamped at the State Dept you have to be really clear that you are getting them AUTHENTICATED FOR CHINA. China has not signed on to the Hague Convention so it does not accept the apostille system that most countries do (South Korea, etc). It is essentially the same thing in practice, but it is a different stamp and the Chinese consulate will reject apostilled docs.

Just a heads up. Had a friend who had to re-send everything and cost him a couple weeks.

teenoso · Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 365 Location: south china

Do you mean , that you are renewing your contract with the same Uni , and the FAO wants you to go home and get another z visa based on authenticated docs?
Why can't they just renew the residence permit?

If all Unis adopted such a system , forcing teachers to return home and wait for the z visa, then they would surely lose many teachers.

Modernist · Joined: 03 Jan 2016 Posts: 72 Location: Routing

twowheel · Joined: 03 Jul 2015 Posts: 753

Also--for those applying for Z visas in the US, did you have to also be fingerprinted in person at the consulate where you are applying? Just checking on rumors I have seen on the Internet.

I am going through an agent in the New York consular district and so far, it doesn't appear that I need to do in-person fingerprinting.

Finger(print)s crossed!

Warm regards,
twowheel

twowheel · Joined: 03 Jul 2015 Posts: 753